Ciro Marchetti Decks - questions for owners

Ok, Ok, Ok, I need to buy a Tarot of Dreams - not an easy prospect!

The decks are definitely a progression in both artistic mastery and tarot symbolism. I own every iteration of all three decks (LE Gilded, MM Gilded, Glossy SE Tarot of Dreams, Matte SE ToD, Standard ToD, SE Legacy and MM Legacy). I believe I have done at least one reading with each deck. (SE = Special Edition, LE = Limited Edition, and MM = Mass Market)

The Gilded is very readable even though there isn't a lot of esoteric tarot symbolism there. Like HearthCricket, if the Gilded were available in the early 90's when I bought my first deck, I would've snatched it up in a heartbeat!

The ToD takes the artwork to the next level and includes more esoteric tarot symbolism while staying true to the 'world" that Ciro has created. Definitely worth adding to the mix of your Ciro decks.

The LotD absolutely blew me away when I first got the SE! I love the way the borders fade into the images (or the images fade into the borders if you prefer). The images absolutely sing to me. Again the deck is quite readable just based on the images. But there's also some meat there (esoteric imagery) to chew on if I so desire.

I'd honestly be hard pressed to answer either question in terms of looking at or using. I love to look at all three decks and to read with them all. If someone put a gun to my head and said you could only choose one, I would. But no one has, so I won't.

And having many hundreds of decks, I don't have any one particular (or small group of) go-to decks. Whatever tickles my fancy or catches my eye is what I use. Or I will give a sitter a choice of decks and whatever they choose is what I use.

HTH,
Rodney

I have all three in the mass market version plus I have the SE Legacy of the Divine, and the SE of Dreams. I prefer reading with the MM version just because of the card size which I find easier to handle.

Besides the decks themselves the book that comes in the LotD kit is well done indeed.

Which one do I prefer? I think the Gilded least, though I still love it, because his lack of depth of understanding at that point shows. And the Legacy of the Divine is clearly the most advanced tarotically. But somehow the MM version of Dreams is just so readable, and downright lovely.

Thanks Alta and Rodney... looks like I will have to get aTarot of Dreams

I have all three of them in MM versions, and the Tarot of Dreams in the special edition. I like all of them very much. I love the CD that came with ToD, and sometimes watch it just for fun.

I like Legacy of the Divine best for readings. It just resonates with me. But they are all wonderful decks.

Of the three, if just one, I would go Tarot of Dreams, too.

My 'most bestest' Ciro deck (though I love all three) is the Tarot of Dreams ... echoing the reasons of Le Fanu & Hearth Cricket.
And their backs are my favourite backs in my whole collection!

eta: Sorry - I failed to answer the questions!

1) Legacy, to look at & read with. It's much more sophisticated & polished; richer in symbolism; has an exciting (to me) contextual back-story; & the faces & artwork are SO much easier to identify with & recognise as potential real people (albeit it in extraordinary & imaginative circumstances.)

2) Neither. I use the Tarot of Dreams as a 'go to' when I feel a sitter is in need of a dash of vibrant drama.
(But if I hadn't that choice, it would be the Legacy.)

I'm going to go against the crowd and say the Gilded is my most favored - enough so that I don't own the other two. To me, they have a sort of artificial coldness that doesn't appeal. They have a more advanced artistic style perhaps. The Gilded, however, is warm and inviting, and while the artwork is VERY good, I don't feel left cold by it. It's one of my go-to decks...a comfort when I need.

As for wear and tear...well I think maybe it would do better if I didn't riffle. But, I do...'nuff said on that one!

All the Llewellyn decks I've used thus far are not built for abuse. I'll work around it as my two most-favored decks are Llewellyn...

~Yira

I'm beginning to think I shall have to get a MM Tarot of Dreams when I've got some money....

Le Fanu said:

when you say masc/feminine energy, are you saying that you feel the L ot D has a more balanced male/female distribution?

Do you think the Tarot of Dreams is more masculine? Might that be why I like it?

Just a-pondering...

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I'm not just talking male vs. female characters/bodies or distribution. I'm thinking more the "feel" of the deck.

To me the Gilded is absolutely masculine. The Tarot of Dreams isn't quite as biased to that one energy. But the Legacy deck, to IMO strikes a much better balance between the two - exuding both a masculine and feminine feel to the cards.

Now though, in light of what you made me realize with my readings and these decks, I'm going to go pull them out and look at the decks again. Like I said before, I've loaned out my Gilded so can't look at that one. But I'm pulling out my TofD and Legacy and comparing them side by side. Who knows...I may change my mind now.

Wendywu said:

I'm beginning to think I shall have to get a MM Tarot of Dreams now ....

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Wendy, I never bought the LE Tarot of Dreams. A friend loaned me hers to "try out" and it just didn't do it for me for some reason. But when I saw the MM version I fell in love! (shrug) I can't explain exactly why the difference for me, but I adore the Palace cards that come in the MM. It's not just that though. Anyway there is more than a size difference between the two.

I love my MM TofD and not just because Lee gave it to me as a present and I got him and Ciro to sign it for me last year at RS10! Although that does add a bunch to it becoming my precious!!!